“Creating jobs” is the Democratic smoke screen for the lack of real thought and understanding of the expense associated with the project.

For example, the Obama stimulus “created jobs” in Los Angeles — at a price of $111 million for 54 permanent positions. Even the city comptroller, a Democrat, said it was not a good decision. The cost and burden on federal taxpayers was more than the employee will make in a lifetime — in a state that can’t get out of its own way and continues to lose businesses and tax base.

I have been in the commercial construction business for 23 years and even though the work would be great, it does not make fiscal sense.

What draw in Syracuse will warrant a high-speed rail? We are not Atlanta, Mr. Reynolds. Many major cities don’t have a high-speed rail and in this non-business-friendly state, who is going to be drawn to Syracuse and for what — Destiny? No way. Even Bob Congel knows it is a bad environment to go any further with it.

That doesn’t mean we don’t try to improve Syracuse. But like the federal government or any household, we first need to spend within our income, not take on another pie-in-the sky project where the taxpayer and city are the losers.